Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Please help me find a poem!!!

92 replies

SadUselessMum · 30/09/2024 21:08

My 13 year old daughter wants to read a poem out at school as part of National Poetry Day. This is unheard of as she is normally very shy and would never volunteer for anything!!

So we are very pleased! However…..she has no idea of a poem to read and it’s in 2 days!

She says she wants a funny one but nothing embarrassing. She goes to quite a sensible, mature school so it would need to not be a silly, young one.

Has anyone got any ideas? English is not my first language so poems are a bit of a mystery to me. Any help would be gratefully received!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
FuzzyPuffling · 30/09/2024 21:12

Look at John Hegley's poems. Lots of material there.

Inhaledfoodohno · 30/09/2024 21:13

Spike Milligan - Smiling is infectious. (Edited to add any Spike Milligan poem is probably a good bet, short, funny, easy to recite)

Tooty78 · 30/09/2024 21:16

Inhaledfoodohno · 30/09/2024 21:13

Spike Milligan - Smiling is infectious. (Edited to add any Spike Milligan poem is probably a good bet, short, funny, easy to recite)

Edited

Great call, I have a small printed version in my purse, in fact I'm smiling just thinking about it😁

heldinadream · 30/09/2024 21:18

Look up Brian Bilson on Facebook. He's brilliant, he was on R4 the other day too. Very funny and very clever.

WitcheryDivine · 30/09/2024 21:19

She might be best off going to the school or town library or a bookshop and having a look at some anthologies, find something to her own taste.

heldinadream · 30/09/2024 21:21

Sorry misspelled it - Brian Bilston.

VictoryOrDeath · 30/09/2024 21:22

Brian Bilston - he's really good, and can range from light and funny to less so.

Whether · 30/09/2024 21:25

Michael Rosen.

Poppy1999 · 30/09/2024 21:26

The Pobble who has no toes

GMH1974 · 30/09/2024 21:27

Michael Rosen's No Breathing in Class

Portakalkedi · 30/09/2024 21:27

I second Brian Bilston!

Inhaledfoodohno · 30/09/2024 21:27

Mother Theresa - Do It Anyway

rosegoldwatcher · 30/09/2024 21:29

The late Benjamin Zephaniah - Talking Turkeys.
https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/talking-turkeys/

Whether · 30/09/2024 21:29

GMH1974 · 30/09/2024 21:27

Michael Rosen's No Breathing in Class

💯

MellersSmellers · 30/09/2024 21:31

Harry Baker. Slam Poet. Modern, funny, sensitive

cariadlet · 30/09/2024 21:31

Lots of great Michael Rosen poems here.
www.michaelrosen.co.uk/hypnotiser/

CanadianJohn · 30/09/2024 21:31

How about Jaberwocky

Inhaledfoodohno · 30/09/2024 21:32

Philip Larkin - This Be The Verse (she'll need balls of steel to read that at school)

Phase2 · 30/09/2024 21:35

www.snettishamprimary.co.uk/_site/data/files/classes/EA4819B2DD27419BBC19F0743AA12FAA.pdf

This might help - it's some tips and a selection of poems by a primary school

ChiffandBipper · 30/09/2024 21:40

If by Rudyard Kipling?

Sidebeforeself · 30/09/2024 21:40

They strolled the lanes together
The night was studded with stars
They reached the gate in silence
He lifted for her the bars

She raised her brown eyes to him
But theres nothing between them now
For he was only the farmers boy
And she was a Jersey cow.

3girlsmama · 30/09/2024 21:41

The Orange by Wendy Cope

Singleandproud · 30/09/2024 21:43

If she does Michael Rosen or Talking Turkeys there are lots of videos on YouTube of the poets reciting them so she can get the delivery just right.

I vote for Chocolate Cake by Michael Rosen.

Inhaledfoodohno · 30/09/2024 21:45

Pam Ayres is harmless and silly